Believe it or not, prostitution is legal in the UK but what is the law governing brothels and their owners?

A recent Channel 4 show A Very British Brothel asked these questions earlier this year and we’re going to explains what the legal situation is.

What is a brothel?

Any premises - for example, private flats, saunas, massage parlours - may be classified as a brothel if they are used by more than one man or woman for the purpose of prostitution, whether on the same day or on different days.

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If you share premises with someone else and work on alternate days or weeks the premises will still count as a brothel, even though there is never more than one person working at any one time.

(Image: David McNew/Getty Images)

Where rooms or flats on one building are let separately to different individuals offering sexual services, the premises as a whole may still count as a brothel if the individuals are effectively working together.

If you are the only person who provides sexual services on premises, with or without the assistance of a non working maid, the premises is not a brothel.